Hi I did my 1st spirit kit a few weeks back and did everything exactly to the kit. All the readings was spot on and everything was fine but now for some reason it hasn't cleared from the black carbon. It was while we had that red hot spell so I did wonder if it would take a little longer to clear as wasn't that cool.
Any ideas please?
Mark.
The "wash" based kits using charcoal to clear (visually and chemically) are legal in the UK, as I understand it.
The fundamental objection I keep raising is that the higher the level of alcohol in the brewing process, the narrower is the margin for error in the process for producing unwanted by-products. These can do the unwary more harm than mere ethanol. Unfortunately, the more the yeast is "stressed", the greater the production of these by-products is likely to be and temperatures outside the optimum for ethanol production are a major source of yeast stress.
It sounds as if you have already removed the drink from its yeast. That is slightly unfortunate as the yeast is your best friend in removing some unwanted by-products.
Only advice I can suggest for this one is to treat it as potentially toxic, so:
Leave to ferment / condition with any residual yeast as long as your patience permits.
Treat it with extreme initial caution.
Try a sip day 1- then a mouthful day 2, etc.
Bin it at the first sign of a problem - like a bit of a headache, etc.
Advice for beginners:
Wine is safer.
Beer safer still.
